U.S. patent number 4,689,858 [Application Number 06/873,728] was granted by the patent office on 1987-09-01 for adjustable rubber band.
Invention is credited to Michael T. Barber.
United States Patent |
4,689,858 |
Barber |
September 1, 1987 |
Adjustable rubber band
Abstract
A fastening device comprised of an elastic band permanently
attached at one end either in a utilitarian sense or in a static
sense and temporarily attached at the other end, of which is
adjustable by pulling on this unattached end, to a simple clasp
with holes of a similar diameter as the elastic band and of which
secures the band to a specific total circumference and range of
tensile strength by the force of friction generated between the
band and clasp.
Inventors: |
Barber; Michael T. (Falls
Church, VA) |
Family
ID: |
25362208 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/873,728 |
Filed: |
June 12, 1986 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/17B; 24/265BC;
24/570 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B
11/04 (20130101); B65D 63/14 (20130101); Y10T
24/4736 (20150115); Y10T 24/1408 (20150115); Y10T
24/44983 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A44B
11/00 (20060101); A44B 11/04 (20060101); B65D
63/14 (20060101); B65D 63/10 (20060101); B65D
063/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;24/17B,17AP,3A,265BC,265AL,129A,570 ;248/743 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Sakran; Victor N.
Claims
With respect to the attached specification, I claim:
1. A fastening device consisting of a flat rectangular piece of
polymer plastic which forms a clasp with two sets of two equally
spaced slits at either end of the clasp, where rubber material
exhibiting a high coefficient of friction, forms a band which is
temporarily adjusted by entering one of the two sets of slits at
one end, transversing the distance between this slit and the next
closest slit of the set from the opposite side of the clasp to form
a temporary adjustment of the length of the band because of
material/material friction between the rubber band surface and the
polymer/plastic surface, and whose adjustment remains constant
because of this material/material friction and the fact that the
width of the band between the slits upon stretching remains
conserved showing little or no decrease in the total frictional
force between the rubber and plastic surface, and where the other
end of the band is permanently attached in a utilitarian sense to
the clasp by entering the second set of slits at the opposite end
of the clasp as was described for the temporarily adjusted end, or
by some other permanent means, to form any designated circumference
allowed by the total length of the band to retain an object or
objects which are classified by using different colored
polymer/plastic clasps, by the use of printed tag extensions on the
side of the clasp or by employing an ink marker to write on the top
of the clasp, wherein the free end of the band is adapted to pass
over an end portion of said clasp through the adjacent slit end
portion, then passes under the clasp and through the associated
slit and above the clasp to provide a pull tab for adjusting the
band; and the dimensions of the band and the associated slits being
such that the friction forces generated during tightening of the
band will be held constant irrelevant of whether the device is in
use or not.
Description
BACKGROUND
The invention herein described relates to a fastening device for
the collection of adherence of an article or articles, and an
improvement over conventional fastening devices, more specifically,
the conventional rubber band.
Hereto before, fastening devices such as the rubber band have been
limited by the specific dynamic range of the tensile strength of
the rubber used. In some cases, the tensile strength of the rubber
is greater than the strength of the articles being held. Such a
situation then arises where the articles or article is damaged or
crushed. The problem then requires the need for many different
sizes of rubber bands, none of which may match a particular use
exactly. The advantages of an elastic force are evident in that
objects which are to be retained can be retained as closely
together as possible and later adjustments which may be necessary
because of material shrinking is not needed. The rubber band
provides such an elastic force but its force is narrowly confined
to a specific tensile tolerance, outside this range, objects are
either held too loosely or the rubber band breaks. The range of the
Adjustable Rubber Band is extended to all practical applications in
a single device.
A further limitation of the conventional rubber band is that the
device is completely enclosed, therefore, limited to the fastening
of articles with small overall length. Present patents do exist
which remedy this difficulty. The conventional cable ties of U.S.
Pat. No. 4,532,679 by Scott, U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,432 by Meeks, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,573,242 by Lawkton et al., or U.S. Pat. No. 145,073 by
R. P. Stoats. These devices, or course, are severely limited
because they lack the elastic force generated by the rubber band.
As objects become more tightly compact due to retension, these
devices fail and must be retightened. Moreover, they incorporate
the use of ratchet type devices to hold adjustment which is often
not reversible without the destruction of the device. Even when the
problem of reversibility is solved, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,676
by Paradis, the advantages of elasticity, which continually applies
an inward force of retension, are not incorporated.
The Adjustable Rubber Band provides the advantages of previous
related fastening devices without their limitations. It has the
ability to retain objects together providing a constant inward
elastic force, the ability to be applied at any point along the
length of the object or objects, the ability to adjust to virtually
any circumference, and the ability for an adjustment to be reversed
and therefore reused at practically no additional cost.
SUMMARY
The invention comprises an elastic band whose total length then
provides a maximum circumference joined together at a clasp. The
clasp may be made of any material, but the preferred embodiment
employs die cut polymer.
The elastic band is permanently retained at one end of the clasp.
The elastic band, for instance, may be secured by gluing, by
melting the polymer and elastic together or by sandwiching the
elastic within the polymer. The preferred embodiment is secured by
joining a small loop of the elastic band to itself with the clasp
attached. An alternative design, which is more economical, is
secured by friction using the same principle as the adjustable end,
and this end is then considered permanent in a utilitarian
sense.
The adjustable end of the band is threaded down and up through two
holes in the clasp and is held by friction generated betwen the
elastic band and clasp. The elasticity of the band, while in use,
provides downward force on the clasp between the openings where the
width of the band is not affected during normal stretching and
which keeps the adjustment a constant preventing the retaining
device from loosening. Adjustment is provided for by simply pulling
on the free end which is never permantly retained. Because of the
friction between the elastic band and the clasp, the amount of
adjustment is directly proportional to the stability of the
adjustment. Therefore, the band will slip if the tensile strength
of the elastic is reached.
The clasp may be of different colors which can aid in coding the
collection of a set of articles. Furthermore, the die cut polymer
may be cut with a tag extended for a similar result or stamped with
information. The excess elastic may be threaded through belt loop
devices but it is not necessary. Whether they be chemical or
physical, the only limits to the articles which may be held are
those which have properties such as heat that may affect the
strength of the band or clasp.
Many alternative designs of the clasp and band are possible which
achieve the same effect including extensions in or about the slits
or different weaving patterns of the elastic band through the
clasp. This specification should not be considered a limitation on
those modifications or alternative designs which will infringe on
the spirit of this present invention.
DIAGRAMS
The present invention may be further understood with reference to
the diagrams in which:
FIG. 1--shows the entire Adjustable Rubber Band in side view.
FIG. 2--shows a bottom-side crossectional view of the clasp.
FIG. 3--shows a top-side crosssectional view of the clasp.
FIG. 4--shows an alternative design of the clasp from a bottom-side
cross-sectional view.
FIG. 5--shows an alternative design of the clasp from a top-side
cross-sectional view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The invention forthwith described can be seen in FIG. 1 where
numeral 1 shows the elastic band and 2 shows the clasp both in side
view. For clarity, the bottom will be considered that side which
lies closest to the article or articles being held.
FIG. 2 shows the clasp in crosssection from the bottom and side
where the elastic band is permanently attached at 3. The other end
of the elastic band goes through the top entering the bottom at 4
and through 5 back to the top. As the elastic band is stretched
when used, the width of the band between 4 and 5 remains the same;
consequently, this area of the rubber band in conjunction with the
clasp provides friction sufficient to prevent any adjustment from
changing. The friction is sufficient to prevent change of
adjustment but is less than the tensile strength of the elastic
band. In the event, the elastic band is overstretched, the force of
friction will be encountered first; therefore, the band slips
rather than breaks. The primary reason the adjustment does not
change is that the width of an elastic band decreases only between
the two secured points; in this case, those two points are 3 and
4.
FIG. 3 shows a top and side crosssectional view which incorporates
a reverse view of FIG. 2. Again the elastic band is permanently
attached at 3, with 4 and 5 representing identical attachments as
in FIG. 2 but from the top. The free end of the elastic band at 5
is where the user makes adjustments to the appropriate range of
tensile strength. Of course, the elastic band may enter from
position 5 and go back through position 4 which is not shown and is
considered a priori from that which has been described.
FIG. 4 shows an alternative design which is more economical in that
the permanent end of the elastic band is still permanently attached
but only in a utilitarian sense. The view shown is a bottom and
side view of the alternative clasp design. The end of the elastic
band considered permanent enters at 6 through the bottom to the top
of the clasp and then returns back down at 7. Position 4 and 5 are
identical to previous diagrams. The alternative design is
considered more economical because the elastic band need not be
attached to itself at the permanent end. Additional slots may be
provided to increase friction on the permanent end but it is not
necessary. Many other methods of attachment may be used at the
permanent end including gluing, melting the band to the polymer or
sandwiching the band between the polymer.
FIG. 5 is a reverse view of FIG. 4 where the top and side of the
clasp are shown. The numerals in FIGS. 4 and 5 are identical in
that they correspond to the same locations on alternative
sides.
* * * * *